VOICE conducted a critical and analytical review on the state of the water system in Bangladesh entitled ‘Water Crisis : Strategies for Bangladesh Water Future’ in 2006. The objectives of the study were to critically analyze the overall water situation and build up linkages between the policies and projects based on the theory and practices on the ground. The analysis dealt with the perspective of Bangladesh and identified the problems of the sector, and prepared a set of recommendations for future strategies to further work on the issue.

The study revealed the impacts of water projects and dams, irrigation, and also looked into the issues around water and national policy conflicts, poor people’s access to water, and the crisis people in general are facing. While people’s resistance movements are growing, we must demand safer water and a better system of water management to ensure access to water through a rights based approach.

The study has identified some of the major aspects in the water sector and analyzed where and why water issues become prevalent. It also analyzed the Khulna-Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project with a view to giving a voice to the local stakeholders in the whole cycle of the project.

The Bangladesh Development Forum (BDF) meeting held each year which determines the policy guidelines for the development of Bangladesh. In fact, in last three decades, in the name of development the international financial institutions and the corporate agencies of rich countries also determine their aid policy for county’s development. But if we keenly observe, we see those institutions mainly got the benefit though the policies are supposed to improve the socio-economic status of the country. In fact, the poverty reduction rate is not satisfactory which is below one per cent, though both foreign aid and loan are gradually increasing. Reality is that unexpectedly, themajority of people still remain under poverty line.